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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1274.PDF
military aircraft BN2T Defender Utility transport 2xR-R250-B17C 320 Powerplant Max power (shp) Wing span (m) Wing area (m2) Length (m) OEW (kg) MTOW (kg) Max load (kg) Range (km) Endurance (h) Hardpoints Cruise (kt) Ceiling (ft) Crew/passengers Internal fuel (kg) Fuel, opt ext (litre) Air refuel? panies are competing to provide the air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons. The first four aircraft from a batch of 50 are believed to have been handed over to the Chinese air force in late 2002. An expected appearance at that year's Zuhai air show did not materialise. It is believed four or five prototypes have flown, but one crashed after an FBW failure. In early 1997, the US Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) claimed China was in the preliminary design stage of a twin-engined multirole fighter project. Dubbed the XXJ by the ONI, the pro gramme may be referred to as the J-12 in China. A windtunnel model of an unidentified fighter that is possibly the J-12 has begun to appear in AVIC 1 (Chengdu's parent) promotional videos. The USA believes the XXJ could enter service as early as 2010. It is a canard-and-tail configu ration with twin thrust-vectoring engines, likely BN2T-4S Defender 4000 Utility transport 2xR-R250B17F 400 16.15 32.8 12.21 2,222 3,855 1,633 1,876 to be versions of the Wopen WP15 in the 26,0001b-thrust class. The fighter is expected to have a 20,000kg empty weight and incorporate an FBW system similar to that developed by Shenyang and tested in the J-8IIACT. DASSAULT AVIATION Dassault Aviation, 9 Rond-Point des Champs-Elysees, Marcel Dassault, Paris F-75008, France. Tel +33 (1) 53 76 93 00; fax +33 (1) 53 76 93 20; www.dassault-aviation.fr Atlantique/Atlantic Dassault has a proposed third-gen eration Atlantique, the ATL3. France remains the sole operator of the Atlantique ATL2. The ATL3 would be re-engined with R-RAE2100 turboprops with six-bladed Dowty propellers. Other changes include a two- crew cockpit and new navigation and weapons systems. Sensors include an SAR/ISAR radar, FLIR, TV, ESM and datalinks. The R-R Tyne-powered ATL2 first flew in May 1981 and entered service with the French navy in October 1989. Twenty-eight were delivered. The mission system includes Thomson-CSF Iguane search radar, Sadang acoustic processor, Arar ESM and Tango FLIR chin turret. There is an outline proposal to update the ATL2 to ATL3. Mirage 2000 The current export version of the Mirage 2000 is the -5Mk2, essentially the same as the 2000-9 developed for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The company has orders for 30 -9s and will upgrade the UAE's earlier Mirage 2000s to the same standard. Dassault and Embraer are offer ing the -5Mk2 to Brazil as the Mirage 2000BR. Mrcraft Aircraf Mission Powerplant Max thrust dry/wet (lb) Wing span (m) Wing area (m2) Length (m) OEW (kg) MTOW (kg) Max load (kg) Range (km) Endurance (h) Hardpoints Cruise (kt) "mo Ceiling (ft) Crew/passengers Internal fuel (kg) Fuel, opt ext (litre) Air refuel? Comments F-7MG Airguard (J-7) Fighter/attack 1 x Chengdu WP-7F 9,700/14,800 7.15 23 13.9 9,100 FC-1 Fighter/attack 1 x Klimov RD-93 11,110/18,300 9.5 J-10 (F-10) Fighter/attack 1 x Klimov RD-93 11,115/18,315 18,370 1,740 2,200 M2+ 59,710 1 2,385 litres 1,000 Yes M1.8 52,000 1 M1.85 1 4,164kg No Figs estimated Like the Mirage 2000-5, the -5Mk2 has the Thales RDY multimode pulse-Doppler radar in place of the original RDM. The -5Mk2 has full air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities. A HOTAS and colour MFD-equipped cockpit, inte grated countermeasures suite and datalink are part of the package. UAE -9s have larger cockpit displays and new INS. MBDA Mica AAMs can be carried under the fuselage, freeing the wing hardpoints to carry more fuel. This can double the mission radius. Mirage 2000-5Mk2s have a night attack capa bility using a Thales Nahar navigation FLIR cou pled with the Damocles targeting pod. The UAE has also paid for development of new weapons, including the MBDA Al Hakim LGB and Black Shaheen 250km-range cruise missile. Trie Mirage 2000BR offered by Dassault with Embraer to Brazil is essentially a -5Mk2, although to improve its offer, the French manu facturer has offered to incorporate Rafale sys tems including the Thales/Sagem OSF electro- optical sensor and the Thales/MBDA Spectra defensive aids system. Dassault has proposed the Mirage 2000AT advanced trainer to France, India and the UAE, which all operate large fleets. The trainer would be a simplified aircraft designed to teach stu dents to operate modern weapons systems in complex tactical environments. Earlier versions of the aircraft for the French air force include the 2000C fighter, the 2000B (a two-seat equivalent to the 2000C), nuclear- strike 2000N and conventional strike 2000D. Earlier export multirole versions were 2000Es. Mirage Production of the Mirage Fl ended in 1989, but upgrades continue. Dassault is refurbishing Morocco's Fls, while other companies offer upgrades for the only non-delta Mirage in ser vice. Before retiring the type, the South African air force fitted two test aircraft with Russian Klimov RD-33 engines. Rafale The first French navy Rafale M unit formed in 2001 and embarked two aircraft on the nuclear- powered carrier Charles de Gaulle in December that year. The navy requires 60 Rafales, 25 of which have been ordered under a 48-aircraft multi-year procurement signed in 1999. In 2000 it was decided 40 of the navy's aircraft would be Rafale N multirole two-seaters. The French gov ernment signed for another 59 Rafales in 2002. The first production Rafale, a two-seater for the French air force, was handed over in December 1999. The air force should receive 234 Rafales - about 60% of them two-seaters. The Rafale is a close-coupled canard/delta air craft equipped with Thales RBE2 electronically scanned radar, Front Sector Optronics (FSO) electro-optical system and Spectra self-protec tion suite. The cockpit features HOTAS, Thales wide-angle HUD, head-level display, colour MFDs and helmet-mounted sight/display. Voice 48 27 MAY - 2 JUNE 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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